W.C. Handy Music Festival

July 15th to July 27th, 2026

We know Handy can be HOT! So you’re welcome to cool off in the lobby of the Shoals Theatre, especially during Handy’s on the Plaza! Tickets for Determined can also be purchased there. Thanks to Chelsea and the team at Shoals Theatre for being great partners of the Handy Festival!

Handy Headliner Flyer - click for more information!

2026 Handy Headliner: Shemekia Copeland

Everyone is welcome to the first ever FREE W.C. Handy Festival headliner starring Shemekia Copeland, and featuring two very talented acts: Mike Ferris and Alvin Garrett. This year the concert will be held at the Renaissance Conference Center on Sunday, July 26th.

We will have $100 VIP tickets that offer a Meet and Greet and priority seating for those of you who want to buy them. However to get your free ticket all you have to do is click the link below!

We hope that you will come out and enjoy the show!

Online Tickets

Sponsored by One Louder | Renaissance Shoals Conference Center | Music Preservation Society, Inc. | WZZA Radio

Up Next

DETERMINED: CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF W.C. HANDY (a stage play written by Dolores Swoopes Nash)

EVENING AT HANDY’S CHURCH (GREATER ST. PAUL AME CHURCH)

PARTY AT THE PARK (WILLIE GREEN CENTER)

2026 Handy Headliner: Shemekia Copeland!

Back to School Bash

Concession Locations

Counts Brothers Music

713 Waverly Avenue
Muscle Shoals, Alabama 35661

256-383-7454

Operating Hours

M-F: 10:00am – 6:00pm
Sat: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sun: Closed

Coats Clothing Store

122 North Court Street
Florence, Alabama 35630

256-760-0033

Alabama Music Hall of Fame

617 U.S. 72
Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674

256-381-4417

Operating Hours

Tue-Fri: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sat: 10:00am – 4:00pm
Sun: Closed

Handy on Facebook

W.C. Handy Music Festival

23 hours ago

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W.C. Handy Music Festival

23 hours ago

The festival is well and truly underway now! The Midnighters drew a huge crowd to Wilson Park, Handy on the Plaza was rockin', and the food trucks arrived! Today's events got started with the Shoals Car & Truck Show (cool cars are showing up all over town!) and DaDooRunRun. Shalom Y'all at Temple B'nai Israel and lunch events were well attended. Tonight is Music in the Park with Rewind, the final night of Handy on the Plaza, Swinging River Jazz Band at the Pocket Park, and lots of others performing in our Handy Host restaurants! We'd love it if you share your photos from favorite events with us! We've added some of ours below! (Go www.wchandymusicfestival.com to see the online schedule of events!) ... See MoreSee Less

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W.C. Handy Music Festival

2 days ago

Sax in the City is always a great event! Come on out and join us!Our annual Sax in the City Concert is less than TWO weeks away!!! Who’s ready to celebrate the Handy Fest?!Join us next Friday, July 17th at 7:00 p.m. at Wilson Park in Downtown Florence for a free concert featuring local favorite, The Midnighters! ⭐️ We’ll be there with giveaways for the whole family and selling our limited edition America 250 Sax in the City t-shirts. #BankwithaNeighbor #SaxintheCity #HandyFest | Member FDIC ... See MoreSee Less

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W.C. Handy Music Festival

3 days ago

It's here! The last few days have been full of last-minute details and setting up Handy HQ. We're fully open now and the first event kicked off yesterday. We'd love to see any pictures you took at Handy on the Plaza last night! Post them in the comments! Go to www.wchandymusicfestival.com for a full listing of daily events and updates to the schedule! See you around town!T-shirts and other merch are available at headquarters (209 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence). ... See MoreSee Less

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W.C. Handy Music Festival

5 days ago

Everyone always looks forward to these events!Join us for our annual Jazz It Up With Your Trash, a free family-friendly event where kids can create musical instruments form recycled materials. This year will feature Alvin Garrett! These events will start next week!In previous years, Microwave Dave brought joy, music, and environmental education to this event, inspiring countless children through his passion for both music and recycling. In his memory, we are supporting the Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation. Those who would like to make a donation can do so by scanning the QR code below. Every contribution helps continue Dave's mission of providing music education opportunities for future generations.Bring your clean recyclables—plastic bottles, aluminum cans, shoeboxes, coffee cans, and other reusable items—and we'll provide all the crafting supplies needed to transform them into fun, one-of-a-kind musical instruments!Monday, July 20 @ 10 AM - Florence-Lauderdale Public LibraryTuesday, July 21 @ 10:30 AM - Rogersville Public LibraryWednesday, July 22 @ 10 AM - Helen Keller LibraryThursday, July 23 @ 10:30 AM - Muscle Shoals Public Library Friday, July 24 @ 10 AM - Sheffield Public Library ... See MoreSee Less

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